Contoured board egg carton



y 1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL 3,185,380

CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTON 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1961 I 48INVENTOR 52 5'0 Richard I? Heifers William J Hrazenc/Iik KARL FLocKsATTORNEY May 25, 1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTONFiled Sept. 15, 1961 i a 7 5 I 4 s3/6 2 Fee I 8322 7 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR Ric/mid I? Heifers William J. Hrozenc/zik KARL U). LOLKSATTORNEY y 5, 1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL 3,185,380

CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTON 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 13, 1961INVENTOR R/c/rara' F Re/fers William J. Hrozenchi/r ATTORNEY May 25,1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTON '7 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Sept. 13, 1961 INVENTOR Richard E Re/Yers William J Hrozenchi/rKARL LU. FLocKs ATTORNEY y 1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL 3,185,380

CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTON Filed Sept. I3, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I l mit INVENTOR Richard E Heifers William J Hrazenc/rik Kam. (1). :FLOCK-Q QATTORNEY y 1965 R. F. REIFERS ETAL 3,185,380

I CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 13, 1961 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG./3 I FIG. /4

FIG. /8 FIG. /7

INVENTOR Richard E Re/fers William J Hrozenc/I/X' ATTORNEY KARL.QFFLQQCQ United States Patent 3,185,380 CONTOURED BOARD EGG CARTONRichard F. Reifers, New Canaan, and William J.

Hrozenchik, Stamford, Conn., assignors to Diamond InternationalCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 13, 1961, Ser. No.138,244 19 Claims. (Cl. 229-48) The present invention relates generallyto paperboard cartons, and more particularly to an improved one-piece,paperboard egg carton which is contoured to afford improved strengthcharacteristics and increased egg-receiving space without departing fromconventional exterior dimensions to permit the improved egg cartons tobe accommodated in conventional packing cases.

Egg cartons of the character involved have generally been erected onautomatic machinery, such as that shown, for example in United StatesLetters Patent to Jordan No. 2,700,922, issued February 1, 1955.

Egg cartons of the character involved have generally been constructed inthe form of a rather narrow, hollow, rectangular box including twoadjacent longitudinal rows of. six egg-receiving cells. Many variationshave been heretofore proposed in the art; however, the style generallyidentified as an inverted V-bottom wherein the longitudinal partitiongenerally comprises an A-frame has generally been found to be anacceptable and satisfactory construction.

The prior art has indicated that the inverted V-bottom style or A-framestyle egg carton generally requires a minimum of paperboard and thus,there has been a constant attempt in the prior art to improve this typeof carton. A typical type of carton of the character involved is thatdisclosed in the United States Letters Patent to Reifers No. 2,873,059,issued February 10, 1959, and it will be observed that in this type ofcarton the longitudinal partition or A-frame does not extend through theentire depth of the carton.

Some of the requisites of egg cartons of the character involved are thatthey have (1) exceptional column strength, i.e., to resist impact orstatic loading on the upper surface of a packed egg carton; (2) havelateral compression resistance, i.e., to absorb impact or compression onthe front and rear panels of the carton when packed with eggs; (3) havelongitudinal compression resistance, i.e., to absorb and protect thecontents against impact at one end or the other of the carton; (4) thatthe longitudinal partition be laterally stable to prevent the contentsof a packed carton from rattling inside; (5) the carton can and must bereadily stored in an unerected condition in order that a minimum amountof space will be required for packing during shipping and storage, priorto erection of the folded carton; (6) the carton should have diagonaltwist stability, i.e., it should resist diagonal twisting when picked upon one side or the other; and finally (7) the carton should resistparallelogram-type of collapse under vertical loading, and inparticular, the center partition should resist this type of collapse ormovement inasmuch as once the center partition structure departs fromits true longitudinal center, the structure would quickly lose itsstructural strength.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved eggcarton which includes all of the desirable requisites mentioned above,and which is constructed from a one-piece paperboard blank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel egg cartonof the character involved, which is constructed from a novel blank ofpaperboard or the like wherein the carton has an unusual capacity toreceive eggs up to the maximum size involved, which is exceptionallystrong to absorb and protect the contents of a packed carton fromlater-a1, longitudinal and vertical forces, which is readily erected,and which is practical and accep-table by the trade for the purposeintended.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant inventionwill be apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which one embodiment of the novelegg carton of the invention is constructed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing the panelfrom which the transverse partitions are formed and the panels fromwhich the longitudinal partition and bottom walls are formed;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the erected carton, with the cover removed;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 44of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective viewof the erected carton, portionsbeing broken away for purposes of clarity and showing interiorstructural details of the egg cells of the carton;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the erected carton shown in FIG. 3 withthe cover attached;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 77of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the novel carton shown in its foldedcondition prior to the same being erected;

FIG. 9 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 2, and showing another embodimentof the novel carton;

FIG. 10 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 3, showing a portion of thecarton erected from the blank of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an end elevation looking from left to right at FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic force diagram illustrating the manner in whicha vertical force to the lid of both of the embodiments of the cartonwill affect the longitudinal partition thereof;

FIG. 13 is an end elevation, similar to FIGS. 6 and 11, and showing amodified transverse partition;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the details of the endcell transverse partition of the modified carton of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 13, showing another modifiedtransverse partition for an end cell of the carton;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 14 showing details of thetransverse partition shown in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIGS. 13 and 15 showing still anotherembodiment of a transverse partition for an end cell of an egg carton;and

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view similar to FIGS. 14 and 16 showing detailsof the transverse partition of FIG. 17.

While the egg carton of the invention is susceptible to numerousmodifications, a considerable number of the exemplary embodiments shownand described have been made and used and have performed in an eminentlysatisfactory manner.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a blank from which one embodiment of theinvention is produced is indicated generally at 10, the blank comprisinga paperboard body member 12 including in the following order a glue flap14, a transverse partition panel 16, a front wall panel 18, a firstbottom panel 20, a pair of mirror-image longitudinal partition panels 22and 24, a second bottom panel 26, a rear wall panel 28, a cover panel 30and lock panel 32. The blank 10 includes longitudinal side margins 34and 36 and a longitudinal, intermediate tear line 38 providing meanswhereby an erected carton may be separated to form two one-half dozencapacity cartons. The

3 two sides of the blank 10, as indicated at 48 and 42, are mirrorimages of each other, and thus, only one of these sides will bedescribed in detail.

The glue flap panel 14 will be secured at a transverse glue strip 44 onthe inner surface of the back wall panel 28. The lock panel 32 includesat its transverse marginal edge 46 a bayonet-type lock constructionwhich is conventional.

The glue flap panel 14 is connected to the transverse partition panel 16by fragmentary, scored hinge line segments 48-54. The transversepartition panel 16 is con nected at its other transverse edge to thefront wall panel 18 by means of similar fragmentary, scored hinge lines48-54. The front wall panel 18 is connected to the first bottom panel 20by means of a score line 56 interrupted by cuts 57. The interruptedscore line 56 facilitates the erection of the carton and yet rigidifiesthe lower marginal edge :at the base of the front wall of the erectedcarton. The first bottom panel 28 is connected to the first longitudinalpartition panel 22 by fragmentary score or fold lines 58, 6t), 62, 64and 70. It will be noted that the fragmentary score line 64 is inangular relationship to the side edge 34 of the blank, and in theerected carton this construction will facilitate the contouring of alongitudinal partition of the erected carton; this construction tosubsequently be described in detail. The first longitudinal partitionpanel 22 is connected to the second longitudinal partition panel 24 bymeans of perforated, interrupted score lines 72, 74 and 76. The secondlongitudinal partition panel 34 is connected to the second bottom panel26 by fragmentary hinge lines 58', 6t), 62, 64' and 70', which aresubstantially the same as the fragmentary score lines 58-78 previouslydescribed. The second bottom panel 26 is connected to the rear Wallpanel 28 by means of interrupted score lines 56' which serve to rigidifythe lower edge of the carton at the base of the rear wall of the erectedcarton. The rear wall panel 28 is connected to the top or cover panel bymeans of a transverse score line 78, and the cover panel 38 is connectedto the lock flap panel 32 by means of a score line 80.

The glue flap panel 14, front wall panel 18, rear wall panel 28, coverpanel 30, and lock flap panel 32 are substantially conventional, andthus, attention is drawn to FIG. 2, wherein the detailed structure ofthe novel egg carton is illustrated on a larger scale.

The transverse partition panel 16 comprises a pair of inwardly directedfull cell partitions 88 and 82 and intermediate half cell partitions 84and 86 disposed at one side of the tear line 38 which provides thesections and 42. The full cell partition 88 is hingedly connected at theinner end of the fold lines 48, 48' by outwardly directed fold lines 88and 90, respectively. When the full cell partition 80, as well as thefull cell partition 82, are disposed in the condition shown in FIG. 3,i.e., when the carton is erected, the fold lines 88 and 90 tend todirect the full end cell partitions 80 and 82 outwardly for the purposeof providing maximum capacity for the end egg cells being formed.

The side margins of the partition 88, as indicated at 92 and 94, angleinwardly slightly; however, these side margins will substantially abutthe respective inner surfaces of the front and back walls 20 and 26 ofthe erected carton as seen, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 11. The sidemargins 92 angle inwardly at 96 and 98, respectively. The side marginscontinue in inwardly angled portions 96 and 98 which merge into bottommargins 100 and 102, respectively, which continue in upwardly angledportions 104 and 106, respectively, forming the upper margin of thehalf-cell partition panel 84. The margins 92-106 are formed by cutlines, and the angular margins 96, 98 form one side of horizontallydisposed abutment portions 108 and 110, respectively, which aredetachably engaged by the bayonet lock portion 46 of the lock panel 32.The margins 184 and 186 continue in inwardly angled margin portions 112and 114, respectively, which terminate in outwardly extending colinearmargins 116 and 118 which intersect converging margins 128 and 122 whichare connected by a transverse margin 124. The portions 112-118 formlocking noses 126 and 128 which will lockingly engage lower portions ofthe longitudinal partition of the erected carton.

It will be noted that the cut-lines or margins 184 and 196 are connectedby a transverse margin 129 defining an upwardly projecting separatorelement 131 in the erected carton. Additionally, the full-cell partition82 is a mirror image of the full-cell partition and this structure willlikewise be described with primed reference numerals identical to thoseused with respect to the description of the full cell partition 80.

The upper margin of the full cell partition 88 includes at the terminalend of the angular fold lines 88 and inwardly directed margins 1-30 and132, respectively, which intersect colinear margins 134 and 136,respectively, the margins 134 and 136 respectively intersectingdiverging outwardly extending margins 138 and 140 connected by a marginor edge 142 coinciding with the outer edge 34 of the blank. Thehalf-cell partition 84 is connected by hinge lines 144, 146 to theportions 188 and 110, respectively, at one end of the hinge lines 50 and58', respectively. The partition 84 includes side margins 148 and 150which are substantially normal to the side margin 34 of the blank, andwhich will have a substantially flush engagement with the respectiveinner surfaces of the front wall panel 20 and rear wall panel 26 in theerected carton. The partition 84 includes a lower margin 152 formed by atransverse out line which intersects at intermediate portions thereofconverging margins 1'54 and 156 which intersect a transverse margin 158and 168, respectively intersecting margins 162 and 164 extending intothe intermediate fragmentary portion of a bottom edge 166 of the loweredge margin of the partition 84. The margins 162, 164 and 166 form aspacer tab 168 which will be disposed between opposed inner surfaceportions of the longitudinal partition of the carton when the same iserected.

The partition 84 includes intermediately thereof apertures 1'78 and 172respectively including an elongated slot portion 174 and 176 whichrespectively cooperate with locking noses on the longitudinal partitionof the erected carton to stabilize the same against lateral shiftingwith respect to the front and rear Walls of an erected carton.

The half-cell partition 86 comprises a mirror image of a half-cellpartition 84, and, accordingly, comprises identical structure as thehalf-cell partition 84, and this structure will be identified withidentical primed reference characters used with respect to the half-cellpartition 84 without further description of the various parts.

-It will be noted that the portion 178 formed by the hinge lines 54', 90is formed by a out line 188 which coincides with the tear line 38, thisconstruction facilitating separation of the sections 40 and 42 of theerected carton.

Further, the inwardly angled fold lines 90' and 88' will tend to hingethe end cell 82 outwardly to afford maximum capacity for the end cellformed by the partitions 86, 82.

As previously mentioned, the first bottom panel 20 is hingedly connectedto the front wall panel 18 by means of the score line segments 56, asubstantial portion of this structure being eliminated in FIG. 2 forpurposes of illustration. Likewise, a second bottom panel 26 is hingedlyconnected by the fragmentary score lines 56' to the back wall panel 28,see FIG. 1, and this structure has also been eliminated from FIG. 2.

The bottom panel 20 includes at opposite ends relatively narrowconnecting straps 182 and 184 which are connected to a longitudinalpartition panel 22 by hinge lines 58, 70, respectively, and hinge line56, previously mentioned. The straps 182 and 184 include inner margins186 and 188 defined by a out line, and a cut line extends from the innerend of the hinge lines 58 and 70, respectively, as indicated at 190 and192. The cut lines 186 and 1 88 respectively continue in reverse bendcuts 194, 196 to provide lock flaps 1-98 and 200 which will engage oneside of the full cell partitions in the erected carton. The

cuts forming the margins 100, 192 intersect marginal edges 202, 204 ofdepending feet formed at opposite ends of the longitudinal partitionpanel 22. The margins 202 and 204 continue in inwardly extending alignedcuts or marginal edges 206, 208 which are intersected by angular cuts210', 212 terminating at the ends of the hinge lines 60 and 64,respectively. The cuts or margins 202, 206 and 210 form a support footelement 214 between the hinge lines 58 and 60. The margins or cuts 190,202, 206 and 210 define a support foot 214 at the lower edge of thelongitudinal partition panel 222. Likewise, the cuts or margins 192,204, 208 and 212-define a support foot 216 also at the lower edge of thelongitudinal partition panel 22 and is similar in construction to thepreviously mentioned support foot 214. Extending from the hinge lines 60and 64 are cut lines 218, 220 which define side edges of intermediatesupport feet of the longitudinal partition panel 22, the cut lines 20continuing in a transverse hat-shaped cut 222 and 224, respectively,which intersects diverging cut lines 226 and 228 extending from oppositeends of the hinge lines 62. The cut lines 218, 222 and 226 define thelower margin of a support foot 230 at the bottom edge of thelongitudinal partition panel 22, and the cuts or margins 228, 224 and220 define a second support foot 232 similar in construction to thesupport foot 230. The cut lines 218, 226 and 220, 228 are connected byan armate cut line 21 9 and 229, respectively. In the blank, the supportfeet 214, 230, 232 and 216 extend into the first bottom panel 20, andwhen the longitudinal partition panels 22, 24 are folded upwardly out ofthe plane shown in FIG. 2, the support feet will be disposed adjacentthe support surface, see for examples FIGS. -7.

The sections of the first bottom panel opposite the hinge lines 60, 62and 64 define bottoms of three egg cells formed in the erected carton,and these portions have formed therein cruciform cushion cuts 234, 236and 238.

The second bottom panel 26 has a construction similar to that describedwith respect to the first bottom panel '20 and, accordingly, theidentical structure will be identified with primed reference numerals.

The longitudinal partition panels 22, 24 are connected by thefragmentary score-cut hinge lines 72, 74 and 76 which define theuppermost portion of the longitudinal partition in the erected carton.Further, the longitudinal partition panel 22 is connected to the bottompanel 20 by means of the hinge lines 58-70, and the longitudinalpartition panel 24 is hingedly connected to the bottom panel 26 by thehinge lines 58'-70'.

The longitudinal partition panel 24 is a mirror image of thelongitudinal partition panel 22 of the fragmentary score-cut or hingelines 72, 74 and 76. The longitudinal partition panel 22 includes at theleft end, as in FIG. 2, an inwardly extending angular cut 234 spacedfrom the hinge line 72 and intersected by a cut 236, parallel to theouter margin 34 of the blank. The cuts 234 and 236 form an elongated tabor abutment strap 238 which will be disposed adjacent the outer surfaceof the full cell transverse partition 80 in the erected carton. Themargin 236 intersected by an inwardly extending cut-line 240 terminatesin an arcuate cut line 242 which extends angularly at 244. The angularcut line 244 intersects a margin 246 which is parallel to the margins 34and 236 but which is spaced from the margin 236 by the distance D, asclearly indicated in FIG. 2. This spacing facilitates the entry of thetransverse partition panel 80 between the margins 236, 264 and permitssome longitudinal movement of the full cell transverse partition 80 inthe erected carton. The margin 264 continues in an inwardly extendingangular margin 266 which terminates at the left hand end of the hingeline 72. The other end of the hinge line 72 terminates in a transversecut 268 which defines the terminal end of a cut 270 in linear alignmentwith the hinge line 72. The other end of the cut 270 has extendingtherefrom an outwardly extending angular margin 272 which continuesdownwardly at 274 to form an abutment nose 2'76 engageable with one sideof the half cell transverse partition 84 in the erected carton. Themargin 274 continues in an outwardly extending margin 278 inter sectedby a downwardly extending margin 280 connected to a =C-shaped out line282 which is connected to a downwardly extending margin 284 terminatingin a transverse cut 285 at an intermediate portion of the foot 230. Theout line 285 has extending therefrom in linear alignment with the cutline 284 a cut-score fold line 286 terminating at 288 in the upperportion of the hat-shaped margin 222 of the support foot 230. The cutscore line 286 will facilitate the contouring of the support foot 230 sothat it extends out of the normal plane of the longitudinal partitionpanels, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7.

Further, the cut lines 278-284 form a lock nose 288 which will bereceived in the slot portion 176 of the aperture 172 of the erectedcarton. This construction will aid to prevent lateral shifting of thelongitudinal partition in the erected carton. Additionally, the cutlines 284, 285 Will form abutment flaps 287 which will engage atransverse partition in a direction opposite that through which the locknose 288 extends. This expedient Will stabilize and tend to preventlongitudinal movement of the transverse partitions.

The out line or margin 278 continues in a margin 290 intersecting thelongitudinally extending cut line 292, terminating in a small transversecut line 294 at one end of the hinge line 74. The longitudinal partitionpanel 22 has formed at one side of the hinge line 74 a contour cut line296 and a cruciform cut line 298. The portions of the longitudinalpartition panel 22 to the right of the contour out line 296 andcruciform out line 298 are mirror images of the left hand portion of thepartition panel 22 just described in detail, and thus, furtherdescription is believed unnecessary. The structure of the longitudinalpartition panel 22 appearing to the right of contour cut lines 296 and298 Will be described by means of primed reference characters similar tothat structure used to describe the structure to the left of the contourcut lines 296, 298.

In alignment with the transverse out line 294 and spaced therefrom andparallel to the contour cut line 296 are fragmentary score cut lines 300and 302, and intermediate linearly aligned cut lines 304, 306 and 308.In alignment with the out line 268, which is in alignment with theterminal end of the hinge line 60, are fragmentary score cut lines 310and 312 and intermediate cut lines 314, 316 and 318. The score cut lines310, 312 and cut lines 314-318 provide contour cuts for the end cells ofthe erected carton, as clearly seen in FIG. 5. Additionally, spaced fromand parallel to the out line 318is a out line 320 and cruciform cushionout line 322. It will be noted, that although the portions to the leftand right of the intermediate cut lines 296, 298 are described as beingmirror images, this structure is not identical in view of the angularhinge line 64 as compared with the hinge line 60 which is substantiallyat right angles to the marginal edge of the blank.

The longitudinal partition panel 24 is a mirror image of thelongitudinal partition panel 22 as previously described, andaccordingly, to avoid repetition of description, the similar structurewith the exception of the distance D or D will be described with thesame reference characters using a prefix letter s.

The blank 10 is formed by die cutting and by means of conventionalmethods and in order to initially fold the carton to the position shownin FIG. 8, the glue fiap- 14 is secured to a glue strip 44 after thepartition panel 16 and front wall panel 18 are folded as a unit and inthe same plane along the interrupted score line 56. Additionally, thebottom panels 29, 26 and longitudinal partition panels 22, 24 arepermitted to remain in the same plane and are folded along the fold line56'. It will be noted that the partition panel 16 and front Wall panel18 will be disposed between the cover panel 3%) and the coplanar panels20-26, this providing a substantially threeply folded carton permittinga plurality of the cartons to be packed in a conveniently sized packingcase as is conventional and permits the folded cartons to be stacked andpacked on their ends in the packing case during storage and transit.This folded condition of the unerected carton provides very desirablestrength characteristics during shipping and storage whereby the foldedcartons will not readily become damaged, warped or distorted.

The folded cartons shown in FIG. 8 will be inserted into: an automaticerecting apparatus and will be fed one-byone through the apparatuswhereby the erected carton of FIGS. 3-7 will be afforded.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7, the reference characters utilized in thedescription of FIGS. 1 and 2 have been ap'- plied to the similar partsin these figures in order to show the manner in which the previouslydescribed structure is positioned in the erected carton.

The fold lines 58, 58 at the end of the blank are spaced a greaterdistance from the colinear score lines 72, '74 and 76 than the foldlines 70, 70'. When the carton is erected as seen in FIG. 3, the lockingnoses 125, 128 which engage beneath cut lines 196, 1% will draw theouter walls of the erected carton slightly toward each other as comparedwith the transverse center dimension of the carton, i.e., the outerwalls of the carton will bow or converge slightly from the center towardthe ends. This results in the fold lines 69, 6t) converging toward theend of the carton to become a substantial mirror image of the convergingfold lines 64, 64.

The slight bowing of the carton walls and convergence of fold lines 60,60, although not easily discernible in the erected carton, affordsresistance to diagonal twisting and increased resistance to verticalloading.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the transverse partitionsshown therein will be urged slightly outwardly toward the extremities ofa six-cell section of the: erected carton due to the angular fold lines88, 9t) and 8S and 9%. Further, the dimension D, as indicated in FIGS. 3and 4, will permit slight lateral movement of the end wall partitions80, 82. Additionally, as seen in FIG. 6, for example, the portions 238,s238 are angularly spaced apart and will provide a cushion to alsoreceive the force of blows applied to the outer ends of the erectedcarton.

When the carton is erected, the longitudinal partition portion 406forming cells 402 and 4%! will be contoured or diverged toward the halfcell partition 84. The divergence of the longitudinal partition portion4% is initiated at the transverse cut line 268 and is permitted by thecut line 270. Further, the spacer tab 168 will be disposed between theinner surfaces of the crease lines 286, S236, and thus support feet 230,230' will be spread apart to form an enlarged vertically extendingcolumn. Further, as most clearly seen in FIG. 4, for example, theportions 276, S276 extend beyond a plane extending through the foldlines 286, s286 and when engaging the transverse partition 84, willcause it to be bent over or biased out of its general plane in themanner clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In efiect, the longitudinalpartition portion 406 is partially contoured toward the center cells 4%and 408.

The longitudinal partition portion 410, see FIG. 3, is symmetricallycontoured toward both the half cell partition 84 and S6. The lock noses288, 3283, see the blank in FIG. 2, for example, also extend to the leftbeyond the fold lines 286, s286 and these lock noses or abutmentportions will extend into the slots 176, 1'74 of the apertures 172, 170,respectively, of the half cell transverse partition. The transversepartition 84 will be maintained substantially vertical by the portions276, 288, and s276, .9238 and is retained against lateral shifting to asubstantial degree by the interengagement of the portions 288, s28? inthe slots 176, 174, and the portions 272, .9272, etc. will be preventedfrom coming together since the portions 276, 276', etc. will extend overor lip on the edges 104, 106, etc. directly above the slots 176, 176,etc. in which the lock noses 288, 288, etc. are engaged; see FIGS. 5 and7, for example. The longitudinal partition portion 410 diverges from thetransverse cut 294 and longitudinal cut 292. When a blow is received inthe end of the erected carton, the diverging portions of thelongitudinal partition portion 400 tend to spread apart on thetransverse partition 84 and absorb the shock of the blow and thusprotect the contents of the erected carton. Further, when a blow isreceived on the front or rear portion of the carton, the previouslymentioned lock noses engaged in the slots in the transverse half cellpartitions tend to prevent lateral collapsing of the erected carton.Still further, as will be explained in detail relative to FIG. 12, whenthe carton is closed and a blow is received on the upper surface of thepartition panel, the spaced feet of the vertical columns of thelongitudinal partition will tend to move inwardly as indicated by thedotted lines of FIG. 12 to form an extremely rigid shock resistantcarton. The same condition occurs with respect to the divergingexaggerated columnar feet 32, seen in FIG. 3, formed due to the foldlines 286, .9286, it being noted that the six-cell section shown in FIG.3 is substantially symmetrical about the central portion of the centercells are, 4%. Likewise, the half cell partition 86 is biased inwardlyas seen in FIG. 4 by the abutment portions 276, .9276 and lock noseportions 288, .9288, the latter respectively cooperating with the slots176', 174, of the respective apertures 1'72,

Referring to FIG. 12, wherein the carton is shown di grammatically inorder to emphasize the manner in which the partition columns react to adownward force F, the carton is substantially rigid at its upper cornersAB and lower corners CD. When a vertical force F is applied to the upperedge E of the longitudinal partition, panels P, P, which are hingedlyconnected at H, H, respectively, the bottom panels B, B will tend tomove downwardly and force the panels P, P inwardly or toward each otherto cause the support feet to move toward each other and rigidifying ofthe longitudinal partition when the same is subjected to such verticalforce.

Referring to FIGS. 911, there is disclosed a modified embodiment of thenovel carton, and in FIG. 9, a fragmentary portion of the modified blankis indicated generally at 5%, this view being substantially the same asPEG. 2 which has been previously described.

In the modified embodiment of FIGS. 9-11, the transverse partition panelis indicated at 516, the first bottom wall panel is indicated generallyat 520, the first longitudinal partition panel is indicated generally at522, the second longitudinal partition panel is indicated generally at524, and the second bottom wall panel is indicated generally at 526. Inthe modified embodiment, the longitudinal partition portions will havesubstantially the same contouring as that described in detail withrespect to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7. Further, the half cellpartitions will be biased or deformed out of their general plane toafford lateral stability to the longitudinal partition due to rattlingof eggs or the like, which are disposed 1n a packed, erected carton.Additionally, the vertical columns formed on the longitudinal partitionpanel will function in the same manner as those of the previouslydescribed embodiment. In view of this, it is not believed necessary todescribe the similar structure and the simi- 19211;}; functioningportions of the embodiment of FIGS.

Referring particularly to the half cell partition panels 584 and 586,formed from the partition panel 516, it will be noted that thisembodiment incorporates substantially 'cashaped opposed pairs of cutlines 670, 672 and 670 and 672, which are comparable in function to theapertures 170, 172 and 170, 172', respectively. The structure formed bythe cut lines 670, 672 and 670', 672 will cooperate with the abutmentportions 788, S788 and 788, S788 on the longitudinal partition panels522, 524, re spectively. All the abovementioned abutment portions willextend through the respective G-shaped cut portions 670, 672 and 670,672' in opposed relation from the two end cells extending toward thecenter cell, this cooperation being the reverse of the previouslydescribed embodiment.

Referring to partition panel 516, it will be noted that the full oellpartitions 580, 582 each includes an intermediate vertical score line581, 583 and 585, in each of the cell wall forming segments, and a smallintermediate vertical score line 589 and 561 is provided between therespective vertical score lines 581, 583. This structure will permit theend walls of the end cells of the erected carton to be biased outwardlyas clearly seen in FIG. 10, for the purpose of increasing the cellcapacity of the carton. Further, as seen in FIG. 10, the two centercells, when re ceiving relatively large eggs therein, will urge the halfcell partitions 584, 586 away from each other, thus moving the lockingnoses 788, r788 and 788, S788 into firm locked engagement with therespective coperating C- shaped cuts 670, 672 and 670, 672' of thepartitions 584, 586, respectively.

The first bottom cell 520 includes a slightly modified end strap 682which is slightly angular, as indicated at 683 for the purpose ofaccommodating the slightly contoured end wall full cell trnasversepartition 580 when it is contoured outwardly, as clearly seen in FIG.10.

The second bottom wall panel 526 includes a connecting strap 682' whichis similar in structure and function to that of the first bottom wallpanel 520, including the angular port-ion 683 which cooperates with thevertical score line 583, as seen in FIG. 10. The bottom cell panels 520and 526 each includes an abutment nose portion 680', 685, respectively,which will engage the inner surface of the full cell partition 580adjacent the vertical score lines 581, 583, respectively, to urge thefull cell partitions to the contoured condition shown in FIG. 10. Thestructure at the right hand side of the blank 500 and the carton erectedtherefrom, as seen in FIG. 10, is identical and a mirror image of thestructure at the left hand side and, accordingly, further description isbelieved to be unnecessary.

The longitudinal partition panels 522, 524 do not include the clearanceD disclosed in the embodiment of FIG. 1-7. It will be noted that themargins 766 and .9766 terminate in an abutment nose portion 767 and.9767 which extends beyond or to the left of the portion 736 and .9736of the modified blank. The abutment noses 7 67, .9767 will tend to urgethe full cell partition 580 to fold inwardly about the short verticalscore line 589 as clearly seen in FIG. 10.

The erected carton formed from the modified blank of FIG. 9 and shown indetail in FIGS. 10 and 11, is affected by vertical forces in essentiallythe same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 7, and thus thedescription with respect to the force diagram shown in FIG. 12 appliesto the modified embodiment.

It will be noted that the transverse partition panel 516 includesangular hinge lines 588, 590 and 590' which tend to swing the full cellpartitions 580 and 582 outwardly when the carton is erected.

It will be noted in FIGS. 6 and 11 in the end views of the erectedcartons of each of the embodiments, that the straps 233, S238 and 738,S738 are disposed in spaced relation adjacent the outer surface of thefull cell transverse partitions to provide a good broad base or cushionagainst shock applied to the ends of the erected cartons.

In this regard, attention is drawn to FIGS. 13 and 14, wherein each ofthe previously disclosed embodiments ing of the longitudinal mayincorporate a transverse full cell 880 which includes a dependingcentral spacer tab 881 which will depend between the longitudinalpartition panels to urge them into and retain them in a fixed lockingrelationship with respect to the modified hooks 526 and 528 which have aslight radius to facilitate movement of the longitudinal partitionpanels thereover.

Considering FIGS. 15 and 16, a similarly modified full cell transversepartition 880' is disclosed to have a depending spreader tab 881' whichserves to maintain the longitudinal partition panels in lockedrelationship over the modified lock noses 526 and 528 of the modifiedfull cell transverse partitions.

Considering FIGS. 17 and 18, modified lock noses 926 and 928 aredisclosed. 'In this embodiment, camming edges 929 and 930 are providedon the lock noses 926 and 928, respectively, for the purpose offacilitating lockpartition panels during erection of the cartons.

In both of the disclosed embodiments, inasmuch as the longitudinalpartition of the erected carton is contoured, this construction tends toapply tension in the erected carton along the longitudinal partition andtends to how the central portion of the front and rear vertical Wallsoutwardly. This, in effect, tends to rigidify the erected carton andmaintain the erected carton in its locked condition after erection.

Briefly in review, there has been afforded a novel blank and cartonfully conforming with the objects and prerequisites of the art. Thecarton has increased strength, is shock resistant in all directions,takes full advantage of internal enclosed space for egg room, and isreadily packed and stored.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification but only as indicated by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rectangular blank for a one-piece carton, including in order, alock panel, cover panel, a back panel, a bottom panel, a pair oflongitudinal partition panels, a second bottom panel, a front panel, atransverse partition panel, and a glue flap panel, hinge forming meansconnecting said panels, said longitudinal partition panels includingsupport leg forming portions extending into said bottom panel, foldlines extending into said support-feet forming portions for providing acontour to said support legs in an erected carton, abutment noseportions substantially in alignment with said fold lines and overlyingeach other, said transverse partition panel including full end celltransverse partition panels and intermediate adjacent half cellpartition panels, said half cell intermediate partition panels includinga pair of intermediate aperture portions engageable with the abutmentportions on the longitudinal partition panels in an erected cartonwhereby the half cell transverse partition panels are biased out oftheir general plane in an erected carton.

2. The blank structure of claim 1; said half cell transverse partitionpanels including adjacent spacer tabs for engaging inner surfaceportions of the longitudinal partition panels in the erected carton formaintaining the same in spaced upwardly converging relationship.

3. The blank structure of claim 1; said longitudinal partition panelsbeing connected to each other on an interrupted fold line, said foldlines forming the support feet communicating with cut lines formingthree pairs of mirror image central partition panel portions, saidcentral partition panel portions including cut-score lines spaced fromand normal to the interrupted fold line for forming a contoured supportpost in a carton erected from the blank.

4. The blank structure of claim 3; said central fold line between saidcentral partition panels including linear- 1y aligned cut lines spacedon opposite sides of the center pair of partition panel portions, saidcentral partition portion including cut lines therein extending intoopposite edges thereof and spaced from the adjacent edges of the twopairs of transverse partition panel portions at opposite sides of thecentral pair of longitudinal partition panel portions.

5. The blank structure of claim 1; said full cell transverse partitionpanels including intermediate mutually parallel fold lines on oppositesides of the longitudinal axis of the transverse partition panel, and anintermediate fragmentary fold line disposed substantially on alongitudinal axis of said full cell transverse partition panels.

6. The blank structure of claim 1; said full cell transverse partitionpanels including opposed spacer tabs extending toward the half celltransverse partition panels and disposed on the longitudinal axis ofsaid transverse partition panel for maintaining the longitudinalpartition panels in spaced relationship when the carton is erected.

7. A folding paperboard, one-piece cellular, set-up carton of the typecomprising a front side, a back side, a cover, bottom panels, a seriesof discrete and separate upstanding posts engageable at the upper endsthereof with an undersurface portion of said cover and each postcomprising a pair of downwardly diverging panels extending from anupper, common straight fold line and forming longitudinal partitionstructure connected by said bottom panels to said front and back sidesrespectively, said discrete posts being separated from each other byupwardly opening vertical slots and transverse partition panelsextending from said front to said back side through said upwardlyopening vertical slots, characterized in that the tops of said discreteposts include an edge of said common fold line and at least one pair ofupper, free marginal edges of said downwardly diverging panels, saidupper free marginal edges having one end of each edge adjacent one endof said common fold line and the opposite ends of said free marginaledges being spread apart, said edge of said common fold line and saidfree marginal edges being substantially in the same plane.

8. A foldable, one-piece cellular set-up egg carton comprising front andback sides, a cover connected to one of said sides, bottom panelsconnected to said sides, a series of discrete and separate upstanding,column-like posts formed by longitudinally spaced vertical slots in apair of downwardly diverging, longitudinal partition panels connected bysaid bottom panels to said front and back sides, said longitudinalpartition panels including a common, longitudinal upper linear fold linethrough which said vertical slots open, and transverse partition panelsconnected to said front and back sides and extending through saidvertical slots, said column-like discrete posts being engageable at saidupper linear fold line with an undersurface portion of said cover, saidposts including free upper margins diverging from said common fold lineand opening toward said vertical slots and being disposed in ahorizontal plane substantially coplanar with said common fold line andengageable with the undersurface portion of said cover laterally of theportions engaged by said common, linear fold line.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which said discrete posts include panelportions depending below said free upper margins and disposed outwardlybeyond planes substantially coinciding with said downwardly diverginglongitudinal partition panels.

10. The structure of claim 9 in which said discrete posts includedepending foot portions terminating below an innermost portion of saidbottom panels.

11. The structure of claim 10 in which said foot portions include anintermediate fold line depending from said upwardly opening verticalslots for providing a contour to said foot portions.

12. The structure of claim 8 in which said front and back 'sidesconverge toward each other from a central portion of said carton.

13. The structure of claim 9 in which said transverse partition panelsinclude transverse apertures spaced out wardly of diverging planessubstantially coinciding with said longitudinal partition panels, saiddiscrete posts including lock nose portions extending into saidapertures of said transverse partition panels for maintaining saiddiscrete posts at a greater span at said transverse partition panelsthan the maximum span of said divergent planes.

14. In a blank for a one-piece carton, including a lock panel, coverpanel, a back panel, a first bottom panel, a pair of longitudinalpartition panels, a second bottom panel, a front panel, a transversepartition panel, and a glue flap panel, hinge forming means connectingsaid panels, said longitudinal partition panels including supportfeetforming portions extending into said bottom panels, fold lines extendinginto said support-feet forming portions for providing a contour to saidsupport feet in an erected carton, said transverse partition panelincluding full end cell transverse partition panels and an intermediateadjacent half cell partition panel, said longitudinal partition panelsbeing connected to each other on an interrupted fold line, said foldlines extending into said support-feet forming portions substantiallycommunicating with cut lines forming pairs of mirror image centralpartition panel portions, said central partition panel portionsincluding cut lines colinear with said interrupted fold line and openingtoward said cut lines forming said mirror image central partition panelportions for forming the upper ends of a contoured support post whichare substantially coplanar with the upper edge of said longitudinalpartition of an erected carton.

15. The blank structure of claim 14, in which said central partitionpanels include cut-out portions intermediately of said interrupted foldline and extending thereacross and terminating at said out lines formingthe mirror image central partition panel portions.

16. The blank structure of claim 14 in which each bottom panel includespairs of slot portions disposed in spaced relation from the interruptedfold line between said central partition panel portions, said pairs ofslot portions being disposed adjacent to one edge and intermediateportion of said blank, said full end cell, transverse partition panelsincluding lock nose structure for engaging in said pairs of slots whenthe carton is erected, the distance between the innermost ends of saidpairs of slots adjacent said blank edge being greater than thecorresponding distance between said pair of slots intermediately of saidblank whereby the side walls of the erected carton will converge towardthe end of the carton when the carton is erected from said blank.

17. In a carton erected from a single blank and comprising a pluralityof cells, opposed front and rear walls, transverse partition panels,bottom walls and a longitudinally extending central partition disposedgenerally parallel between said front and rear walls, said centralpartition comprising cell-forming portions including downwardlydiverging panels including lower foot portions having an edgesubstantially coincident with the lowermost margins of said front andrear walls, said bottom walls extending inwardly and upwardly from thelowermost edges of said front and rear walls and being joined tointermediate portions of said central partition panels on spaced foldlines disposed below the upper edges of the said central partitionpanels, said downwardly diverging panels comprising longitudinallyspaced panel portions formed by vertical slots terminating above thefold lines between said bottom walls and said diverging partitionpanels, said transverse partition panels extending through said upwardlyopening slots, said diverging partition panels including pairs of freemargins on opposite sides of said transverse partition panels, saidtransverse partition panels including intermediate, depending abutmentportions engaging opposed inner surfaces of said diverging centralpartition panels and orienting the central partition panels into angularrelation.

18. In a carton erected from a single blank and comprising a pluralityof cells, opposed front and rear walls, transverse partition panels,bottom walls and a longitudinally extending central partition disposedgenerally parallel between said front and rear walls, said centralpartition comprising cell-forming portions including downwardlydiverging panels including lower foot portions having an edgesubstantially coincident with the lowermost margins of said front andrear walls, said bottom walls extending inwardly and upwardly from thelowermost edges of said front and rear walls and being joined tointermediate portions of said central partition panels on spaced foldlines disposed below the upper edges of the said central partitionpanels, said downwardly diverging panels comprising longitudinallyspaced panel portions formed by vertical slots terminating above thefold lines between said bottom walls and said diverging partitionpanels, said transverse partition panels extending through said upwardlyopening slots, said diverging partition panels including pairs of freemargins on opposite sides of said transverse partition panels, saidseparated panel portions of said diverging panels including a lock noseportion at said vertical slots, said transverse partition panelsincluding an aperture in substantial alignment with said longitudinalpartition panels and receiving said abutment nose portions therethrough.

19. In a carton erected from a single blank and comprising a pluralityof cells, opposed front and rear walls, transverse partition panels,bottom walls and a longitudinally extending central partition disposedgenerally parallel between said front and rear walls, said centralpartition comprising cell-forming portions including downwardlydiverging panels including lower foot portions having .an edgesubstantially coincident with the lowermost margins of said front andrear walls, said bottom walls extending inwardly and upwardly from thelowermost edges of said front and rear walls and being joined tointermediate portions of said central partition panels on spaced foldlines disposed below the upper edges of the said central partitionpanels, said downwardly diverging panels comprising longitudinallyspaced panel portions formed by vertical slots terminating above thefold lines between said bottom walls and said diverging partitionpanels, said transverse partition panels extending through said upwardlyopening slots, said diverging partition panels including pairs of freemargins on opposite sides of said transverse partition panels, thetransverse width of said carton between said front and rear walls at theend of said carton being greater than the transverse central width at aportion spaced inwardly of the outer ends of said carton, said cartontapering from the transverse central portion thereof toward said outerends.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,159 4/54Reiner 22928 2,873,059 10/59 Reifers 22928 2,946,497 7/ Randles 229282,974,849 3 61 Swanson 22928 2,995,289 8/61 Swanson 22928 3,006,5 28 10/61 Reifers 22928 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A RECTANGULAR BLANK FOR A ONE-PIECE CARTON, INCLUDING IN ORDER, ALOCK PANEL, COVER PANEL, A BACK PANEL, A BOTTOM PANEL, A PAIR OFLONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANELS, A SECOND BOTTOM PANEL, A FRONT PANEL, ATRANSVERSE PARTITION PANEL, AND A GLUE FLAP PANEL, HINGE FORMING MEANSCONNECTING SAID PANELS, SAID LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANELS INCLUDINGSUPPORT LEG FORMING PORTIONS EXTENDING INTO SAID BOTTOM PANEL, FOLDLINES EXTENDING INTO SAID SUPPORT-FEET FORMING PORTIONS FOR PROVIDING ACONTOUR TO SAID SUPPORT LEGS IN AN ERECTED CARTON, ABUTMENT NOSEPORTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FOLD LINES AND OVERLYINGEACH OTHER, SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION PANEL INCLUDING FULL END CELLTRANSVERSE PARTITION PANELS AND INTERMEDIATE ADJACENT HALF CELLPARTITION PANELS, SAID HALF CELL INTERMEDIATE PARTITION PANELS INCLUDINGA PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE APERTURE PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ABUTMENTPORTIONS ON THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANELS IN AN ERECTED CARTONWHEREBY THE HALF CELL TRANSVERSE PARTITION PANELS ARE BIASED OUT OFTHEIR GENERAL PLANE IN AN ERECTED CARTON.